In high school they called me Miss Red Cheek. In the 80's I wanted to look like a supermodel so I applied dark rust brown stripes in my cheek hollows. As time passed I learned to use subtlety in my blush application and keep the look, color and texture natural. Experiment and practice with color and all the new textures. Remember, if it's dark to the touch, it will be too dark on your face.

What's out there:

Pencils, roll-up cream and gel sticks, bottles, and pans. There's all types of blush out today in stores and boutiques. From liquid to powder compact each has it's own unique application method and use.

Laura Mercier has a cream blush stick called "Cheek Color Stick to Go" $25 in shades of Raisin, Nutmeg and Blossom. They are oil and fragrance free.

CoverGirl has an almost translucent gel stick called CheekGlaze in "Hint of Peach" and "Sheer Berry" from their new Sheer Karma Collection

Chanel has two new products. A sheer oil-free color stick "Effets Lumiére Facebrights" $35 in 6 shades that goes on naturally to highlight here and there with all over color and "Fruité Cheek Gelée", $28.50 a translucent tinted gel with natural ingredients that sweeps on cheeks imparting a natural glow
BeneFit has "BeneTint" $26. A ruby colored liquid that can be worn on lips, cheeks and eyes. It is applied with itâs own brush and is kiss proof, swim and sport proof. Another interesting product from BeneFit is "Color Wash" in "Make Me" and "Shame on You" $24. Color wash is concentrated color in a loose powder blush. Formulated without talc, it comes with it's own fantail brush and imparts a soft glow anywhere you want it.

Just out from NARS is "Color Wash", a liquid watercolor stain in 3 shades called Modesty (lilac), Blow-up (ginger) and Pussycat (rose).

Almay has "One Coat 3-in-1 color stick pencil " $8.75 for lips cheeks and eyes in 7 shades, ice, petal, mauve, mocha, bronze, violet and peach, that you just draw on and blend with your finger or sponge.

Other great brands to check out are Bobbi Brown, Estée Lauder, Lancôme, Clinique, Max Factor and M.A.C. Also check Jane, M. Professional, L'Oreal, Neutrogena, Maybelline, Revlon, and Stila. All the brands have powder compact blushes that go on with it's provided brush, or for a more professional application use a better quality blush brush.

How to apply blush:

What you're looking for is a natural healthy glow. The kind you would get when you blush or that healthy just worked out flush. When you apply blush youâll be using your finger, sponge (for cream or gel blush) or brush. Find the apple of your cheek by smiling and looking into the mirror. The round part that pulls up is the apple of the cheek. Run your finger down from the top of the cheekbone into the hollow of the cheek. To give the illusion of a contoured cheek apply either a slightly darker blush in the hollow, or align your blush brush so that the bottom side of the brush is laying at the deepest part of the hollow. You then brush back and forth moving up the cheek to the cheekbone. Start at the point of your cheek just below the middle of the eye and work up towards the temple. This technique gives the cheek a 3 dimensional look because more color was on the brush when you started at the hollow of the cheek and less color at the cheekbone (high part) giving a highlighted effect. Or you can use a highlight shade. Just be sure to blend and overlap the 2 shades a bit.

Using cream and gel sticks or liquid tints: For a natural flush look, apply 3 dots either directly from the stick, pencil or bottle or with your finger to the apple of your cheek. Use your fingers or sponge to blend.

Face shape: If you have a round shaped face, keep the blush more to the sides, and add blush to the temple areas. Wear your hair a little longer to soften the sides of your face. If your face is thin apply a soft light blush towards the center of the cheek to accent the front rather than sides of your face giving a fuller look. If you have a long shaped face, apply a little blush to your chin and forehead and use a side part or bangs rather than a center part or hair straight back.

Color Choice: Personally I like beige pink, ruby and raisin shades. They look great on just about everyone. You can experiment with color and when you try color on at the store, apply it directly to your cheek and go into natural light with your trusty hand mirror that you keep with you to shop for cosmetics. Rule of thumb, blondes look best in soft pinks and beiges, Redheads can check out tawny, ginger and peach shades. Brunettes look best in raisin, tawny and rose shades. Raven hair looks best in tawny, berry, reds and roses. Silver hair is best with cool shades in the pink and berry family.

TIPS

• Always blend your edges. And then blend some more.
  
• Check your blush in natural light. In the evening apply a little extra
  or a more striking color to compensate for artificial lights.
• Shake or tap the blush brush before you apply the color to your face.
• For more mature skin use iridescent shades sparingly.
• When in doubt, less is best.
• You can go over too much blush with a little dual finish powder to soften
• Sometimes we think we need more blush than we do. Apply just a little blush at first, then go on to eyes and lips. Once you are done with your entire makeup stand back, look in the mirror and see if you need a little more blush to balance the look.
• Refresh your blush at the end of the day when you're tired for that Scarlet O'Hara pinched cheek look

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